Bath tub



C. REMPEL sept. w, w57

BATH TUB Filed sept. 14, 195e v ttoney United States Patent OA BATH TUB 4Cornelius Rempel, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Application September 14, 1956, Serial No. 609,931 14 Claims. (Cl. 179) This invention relates to improvements in a bath tub and apertains particularly to one capable of being heated and designed to be incorporated in and become a part of the Warm air heating system of the house.

A current complaint respecting the ordinary bath tub is that the user often suiers discomfort in coming in contact with its relatively cold surface because the initial temperature of the tub is not infrequently much lower than that of the water filling it and the persons body. Further, where there is a substantial difference in the ternperatures of the tub and the hot water, the equalizing heat transfer operates to lower the water temperature unduly.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a bath tub that may be easily heated to render the same more pleasant and comfortable tor the user land that will act less to cool the filling water.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bath tub that may be incorporated in and be heated by the warm air heating system of the building in which the tub is installed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bath tub lheated by the warm air of the heating system of the building and wherein the tub serves as a part of such heating system.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bath tub that may be incorporated in and be heated by the warm air heating system of the building and serve as the warm air outlet for the room.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bath tub that may be incorporated in and be heated by the warm air heating system of the building and serve as a heat exchanger in the bathroom.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a bath tub of the so-called cabinet or apron type, that may be incorporated in the distributing duct system of a warm air heating plant, having a warm air outlet register associated therewith, as for instance a warm air outlet register.

A still further object is the provision of a bath tub of the nature and for the purposes described that is characterized by structural simplicity, operative eliciency and reasonable costs of production and installation whereby the same is rendered commercially desirable.

To the accomplishment of these and lrelated objects as shall become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as shall be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

The invention will be best understood and can be more clearly described when reference is had to the drawings forming a part of this disclosure wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings: v

Figure 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of my novel bath tub for inclusion in a warm air heating system;

ICC

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section, as taken on the line 2--2 of Figure l, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and showing the inside of the louvered apron and the damper-controlled supply duct;

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal transverse section as taken on line 3 3 of Figure l, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

Figure 4 is a smaller scale perspective view of the tub in inverted position, showing the arrangement of warm air deecting baies.

In current residential construction, bath tubs of the so-called cabinet type are in general use. These regularly have a flange running all the way around the top and in the most popular style have a depending apron at the front; they are designed to be set into an alcove of suitable dimensions. Somewhat less in demand are those tubs in which the apron continues around one end `adapting the tub to be set in a corner of the bathroom. In either case, under and around the tub yan open space occurs that is bounded by the outside of the tub depression, the apron, 4surrounding walls of the room, and the underlying portion of the oor. Sometimes this area is insulated. In this invention it is proposed to deliver the warm air heating duct for the bathroom into this space and to provide asuitably located damper-controlled out let register that is preferably incorporated in the apron of the tub. Thus warm air may be caused to circulate under the tub to warm the same and/ or find egress into the room as desired and according to the setting of the damper.

In the drawings, the popular style of yfront apron tub is shown. This tub 5 includes the usual depression 6, encircling top tlange 7 with upstanding rim 8 along the back and both ends, and a depending apron 9 at the front. A block of louvres 10 is shown as occurring centrally in the apron 9.

This tub 5 is designed to be set in an accommodating alcove or recess of suitable size in a bathroom, the Wall of which alcove is designated at 11 and to be supported on the bathroom iloor designated at 12 (see Figure 3) in the usual way.

Instead of delivering directly into the bathroom as customary, I provide that the warm air distributing duct 15 from the buildings regular warm air heating system feeds into the area or space under the tub; such area or space being bounded in the presently disclosed embodiment by the underside of the tub including the depression 6, encircling ange 7, and apron 9, the three surrounding walls of the alcove 11 and the floor 12. The warm air may be caused to pass directly out through the apron louvres 1Q into the bathroom or to be trapped under or circulated around the underside of the tub as described.Y v

It has been deemed advantageous to provide simple means to control and direct the warm air ow and while various devices and arrangements may be employed, I have chosen as most suitable the form shown wherein the mouth of the warm air duct 15 is disposed under the forward side of the tub, just inside the apron 9 and being nearer to one end of the tub reaches to substantially the center. A horizontal damper 16, slidable longitudinally of the tub is employed having an overall length greater than twice the length of the ducts mouth and to one side of the center of which is an opening 17 approximately one halt the size of the said ducts mouth. A handle 1S rises from the damper and projects into the bottom louvre for easy operation or adjustment of the slidable damper.

The tub has two main bales 19 and 20 that may be formed integral with the tub in the `case of a cast iron tub or be braised or Welded to it in the case of a steel tub. They both Ystand substantially vertically in the A space between the depression 6 rand apron 9 and are arranged transversely of the tub. The former occurs midway of the length of the tub, dividing the block of louvres down the'middle and at the Vbottom runs under. the tub to the ,longitudinal median Yof the depression 6 then continues along'the median more than half-way1toward the lower end of the tub as a right angle wing 19a. The second main bathe 20 is spaced up-tub from theformer andstands Ain line with the side of the block of louvres, its bottom runs under the tub depression' only about half as far as the former and then continues as a right angle wing'20a that terminate'srwhere it meets' the inwardly extending bottom part of bafe 19. A Other-lesser `battles 21, 22 at opposite ends and 23,24 at opposite sides, employed to arres'tthe ilow and trap the warm air, are l"shorter, depending less than half way from the a'nge 7, and serve to force the circulation of warm air toward the bottom of the tub and under the depressionjthereof.

It willrbe'observ'ed, on reference particularly to Figures 'l and 2, that the size and location of the mouth of the ductV `with respect to the baflles 19 and 20 and the louvres 10 that serve as the warm air `outlet is such that about one half the mouth of the duct'lies under the space between the two main bales19 'and 20 and the other half lies up-tub from the baffle andjconsequently cut off from direct access to the louvres. This isfor the purpose of facilitating `the selective control and use of the warm air input from the heating system.

In use, the damper 16, by means of its handle Y1t) ythat is allowed to slide past the central baille 119 lat'the edge thereof, can be adjusted as required. In the drawings, the damper is shown in middle position with itsopening 17 underlying the space between the baies 19 and 20 so that the full ow vof warm air from the duct passes directly out through the up-tub half of the block of louvres 10. By sliding the damper fully to the left in Figure 1 (right in Figure 2), the duct is closed completely: By sliding Ythe damper fully to the right in Figure l (left in Figure 2) the full flow of warm air is delivered into the 'space under thetub on the up-tub side of 'baille 20 and 'thus shut ol lfrom direct ac-cess to the louvres so that the warmair low is lcaused to circle and envelop. the tub depression and extend around the free end of the baffle wing 19a before nding its way to the half of the block of louvres on the 'down-tub side of battle 19. Obviously, intermediate ad- 'justments' of the damper between its rnid position delivering warm air directly through the louvres to the room and either lfully closed or full bath-encircling flow allows the user to obtain any desired ow or apportioning of warm air and the resultant heating of the room and/or bath tub. t l

While the desirability of heating the lbath tub is readily apparent and the several advantages thereof will Ibe recognized, this invention lin'connecting the tub with the warm air heating duct and utilizing the tub as a part of the warm air distributing system, including the incorporation of a damperLcontrolled outlet register'in the tub apron, harmonizes with the current trend in residential building.

(l) It provides `a tub with the special advantages of being preheated;

(2) A modern appearing tub with a neat-register built into vthe apron;

(3) Delivers the warm air centrally into the bathroom;

(4) Reduces the necessary duct work and leliminates the need for the usual warm air register with the resultant saving in installation costs;

(5) Allows bath tub and warm air register being installed in one operation; Y A 1 w (6) lSaves valuable wall space in small 'room Vby dispensing with separate register; and

, (7) Does away with the need for insulatingun-der and varound Ythe tub.

Y For these reasonsA this warm air unit commends itself d alike to the builderand home owner and contributes to the attractiveness, lcomfort and value of a modern home.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be manifest that a lbath tub, capable of being heated and designed to bein- -cor'porated in and become a part of the warm air heating system of the house, is provided that will fulfill all the necessary requirements of such a device, but as many changes `could be made in the above description and many apparently widely different embodiments of the invention may be constructed within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that allmatters'contained inthe said accompanying specification and drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a 'limitative or restrictive sense.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: Y

l. In combination with the warm `air heating system'of a building, Va bath tub connected with vand providing a part of the terminal portion of a heat distributing duct of said system, an air outlet, and means intermediate Isaid duct and said Vbath tub adapted toiregulate 'the flow of warm airrfrom said duct to dischargeitdirectly through said outlet or cause such part of it as desired toA circulate under and warm the bath tub.

V2. A fbath tub having the outer faces' of the lateral, end and bottom Ywalls of the tub Yenveloped by an enclosed air space, means for delivering hot air to the space, an air outlet communicating with the said space, an air distributing means co-acting with the said means to selectively deliver hot air directly to the outlet, or to cause hot air to circulate around the walls andunder thei'bottom of the tub prior to -delivery to the outlet,

3. VA bath tub having thek outer faces of the lateraL'end, andV bottom walls .enveloped by .an enclosed air. space, means for delivering hot air to the space, an air outlet divided into two sections, oneof the sections communicating with the air space, and air distributing means co-acting with the said means to selectively deliverV hot airtdirectly to one of the sections .of theoutlet, or cause thehot air to circulate around the walls and under the bottom ofthe tub prior to delivery of the `air to the other'section of the outlet. Y Y

4. A bath tub having the outer faces of its lateral, end, and bottom walls enveloped byanenclosed air space, means for delivering lhot air to the air space, an outlet communicating with the space, means fordownwardly deectinghot'air in the upper contines of the enclosed air space, and means co-acting with the first said-means to selectively deliver hot air directly to the outlet or to cause the hot air to circulate around the walls and under the Vbottom of the tub prior to delivery to the outlet.

of the walls ofthe air space, means Vfor delivering hot air Y to the air space, an air outlet in the apron, and an adjustable air distributing means `co-acting with ythe said means and adapted Vin one position lto-deliver hot air directly to the outlet, and inv another position torcause the hot air t-o circulate around the walls and under 'the bottom of the tubV prior to delivery to the airoutlet.

6. -A bath tub having its lateral, end, and bottom walls enveloped by an enclosed air space, means for delivering hot air to the air space, an air outlet co-operating with the air space, and longitudinally adjustable'airV distributing mean co-acting with the said-meansrand adapted in one position to deliver -hot airV directly to the air outlet, and when moved longitudinally to another position, to deliver hot air .to the air lspace to circulate -aroundthe walls and under `theebottomV of Ythe 'tubprior toldelivery to the air outlet. Y i i i 7.V YA bathtub having its lateral, end, and bottom-walls enveloped by an enclosed air space, a hot air inlet duct IOCated below the tub, an air outlet divided into two sections, one section extending partially acrossthe air duct, the other section being located beyond the contines of the duct, and adjustable means controlling the distribution of air from the duct, and adapted in one position to deliver air directly to the adjacent section of the air outlet, and in another position to deliver hot air to the air space to circulate around the walls and under the bottom of the tub prior to delivery to the other section of the air outlet.

S. A bath tub having its lateral, end, and bottom walls surrounded by an enclosed air space, an air inlet duct to the air space, an apron on the tub forming one of the walls of the air space, an air outlet yon the apron and divided into two sections, a passage communicating with one section of the outlet and having its inlet end relatively smaller than and located adjacent to the end of the duct, the other section of the air youtlet lying outside the contines of the duct and communicating with the enclosed air space, and adjustable means co-acting with the air duct and adapted in one position to deliver hot air directly to the passage and its associated section of the air outlet, and in another position to deliver hot air to the air space to be circulated around the walls and under the bottom of the tub prior to delivering the air to the other section of the air outlet.

9. A bath tub having its lateral, end, and bottom walls surrounded by an enclosed air space, an air inlet to the air space, an apron forming one of the walls of the air space, a sectional air outlet on the apron, one section communicating with the enclosed air space, a second section communicating with the air inlet, and means co-acting with the air inlet and adapted to selectively deliver hot air directly to the second section of the outlet or to deliver hot air to the air space to circulate around the lateral, end and bottom walls of the tub prior to delivery to the iirst section of the outlet.

10. The bath tub claimed in claim S in which the adjustable means co-acting with the air duct is a slidably mounted damper provided with a port commensurate with the inlet to the passage connecting with one section of the air outlet.

l1. A bath tub having its lateral, end, and bottom walls enveloped by an enclosed air space, a hot air inlet duct to the air space, an apron forming one wall of the air space, a sectional air outlet on the apron, one section communicating with the enclosed air space, a second section communicating through a passageway with the air inlet, a damper slidably mounted over the inlet duct and formed with a port designed in one position to deliver hot air to the second section of the air outlet, and in another position to deliver hot air to the air space, the damper in intermediate positions being designed to deliver hot air simultaneously to the second section ot the air outlet, and through the enclosed air space to the rst section of the air -outlet iu desired predetermined proportions.

l2. A bath tub having its lateral, end, and bottom walls enveloped by an enclosed air space, an apron forming a wall of the said space, an air outlet on the apron, bafes dividing the air outlet into two sections, the rst section communicating with the air space, and the second section separated from the air Space, a hot air inlet duct, and adjustable air distributing means associated with the duct and designed in one position to deliver hot air directly to the second section of the outlet,'and in another position to deliver hot air to the enclosed air space to positively circulate around the walls and under the bottom of the tub prior to delivery of the air to the rst section of the air outlet.

13. The bath tub claimed in claim l2 in which-downwardly depending baies are provided in the upper portion of the enclosed air space.

14. In combination with the surrounding building structure such as the walls and door of an accommodating alcove, a bath tub forming a space with said surrounding Walls and oor of the building selectively as a part of the warm air heating system of the building, said tub having an apron extending between said walls and to said oor, a warm air outlet from said space; `a warm air heating duct of said heating system feeding into the space under the tub and surrounded by the apron of the tub and the Walls and floor of the alcove, and means disposed intermediate said duct and said bathtub for selectively directing warm air from said duct to pass immediately outwardly through the outlet or to circulate about under the tub in the aforementioned surrounded space and through the outlet.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

